Microchip Technology Inc. is a leading provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, providing low-risk product development, lower total system cost and faster time to market for thousands of diverse customer applications worldwide.
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Microchip is the approved leader in 8-bit microcontrollers by continually investing and expanding upon the PIC® microcontroller lineup. Emphasis is persistently focused on reducing costs while developing products with a strong mix of peripherals such as LCD drive, PWM, ADC, comparators, timers and communication.

Beyond standard peripherals, Microchip is constantly bringing additional value to PIC and AVR microcontrollers by developing unique and exclusive peripherals. These unique peripherals allow embedded engineers to simplify their designs and create ever more creative applications and products. This innovation is demonstrated by some of the following microcontroller integrated peripherals. This innovation is best demonstrated by microcontrollers with Core Independent Peripherals.
CIPs allow the peripherals to operate independently of the core, including serial communication and analog peripherals.
Together with the Event System, that allows peripherals to communicate without using the CPU, applications can be optimized at a system level. This lowers power consumption and increases throughput and system reliability.
PIC Microcontrollers with Core Independent Peripherals take 8-bit MCU performance to a new level. With a number of on-board modules designed to increase capability in any control system, these MCUs represent the best value in embedded design.

Core Independent Peripherals Key AttributesSelf-Sustaining
Once initialized in a system, Core Independent Peripherals can provide steady-state closed loop embedded control with zero intervention from the MCU’s core. The CPU can then be idled or put into SLEEP mode to save system power.

Significant Savings
By taking the load off the CPU, Core Independent Peripherals allow smaller, lower power PIC MCUs to perform extremely complex tasks, such as high power lighting control and communication. In addition, significant BOM cost savings can be realized by replacing off-board discrete components with these integrated peripherals.

CPU Free
Core Independent Peripherals are smartly interconnected to allow near zero latency sharing of data, logic inputs, or analog signals without additional code or interruption of the CPU. This frees the CPU to perform other system tasks and reduces Flash memory consumption.

Each peripheral has been crafted to work both individually and in tandem with other parts of a MCU to enable commonly used tasks with minimal supervision from the core processor. This allows a PIC and AVR MCU to support as many system functions as possible, while minimizing the use of external components and the need for power-hungry resources. Our function enablement approach helps reduce system cost and can increase an end product’s performance and robustness. Core Independent Peripherals are available in both 8 bit microcontrollers from PIC10, PIC12, PIC16, PIC18 families, as well in ATmega AVR series. The presentation continued with a short presentation of each Core Independent Peripheral, including key features, benefits and potential application areas.

16-bit Pulse Width Modulation (16-bit PWM)
High Resolution with Independent Time Base High with no processing required by the MCU core.

Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC/Scan)
The CRC/Scan peripheral provides automated CRC polynomial generation and verification of Program / DATA Memory to test for Non Volatile Memory Integrity. It can also be configured to provide 16-bit CRC for use with memory and communications data.

Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) Complementary Output Generator (COG)
The CWG provides a complementary waveform with rising and falling edge dead band control, enabling high efficiency synchronous switching, with no processor overhead. The CWG also incorporates auto shutdown, auto restart, and can interface directly with other peripherals / external inputs. The COG improves upon the functionality of the CWG with the addition of blanking and phase control.

High Endurance Flash (HEF)
The High-Endurance Flash is a block of 128 memory locations, found at the top of the Flash program memory that is ensured to provide a superior endurance, equal to that of a traditional data EEPROM.

Math Accelerator (MathACC)
The Math Accelerator offers completely Core Independent calculations, with the capability to perform 16-bit math and PID operations. Offloading these functions leaves the CPU free to perform other system tasks, consumes less program memory, and reduces the overall power consumption of the MCU.

Programmable Switch Mode Controller (PSMC)
The PSMC is a high performance 16-bit PWM with 6 configurable outputs that can operate in multiple modes. With a dedicated 64MHz clock and the flexibility to interface to external inputs as well as integrated peripherals / clock sources, the PSMC offers the highest level of advanced PWM control and accuracy in an 8-bit MCU. The PSMC can simplify the implementation of a wide array of applications such as: motor control, lighting, and power supplies.

24-bit Signal Measurement Timer (SMT)
The Signal Measurement Timer (SMT) is a 24-bit counter with advanced clocking and gating logic, which can be configured for measuring a variety of digital signal parameters such as pulse width, frequency and duty cycle, and the time difference between edges on two signals.